A selection of gloves for a selection of weather conditions is one way to stay jolly when one is outside for hours on end in the cold / heat / rain / mud. January can throw all of these at a gardener – sometimes within the space of a few… Read More »Notes from a Head Gardener ~ survival tips for fingertips 25/01/2019
The Thoughtful Gardener by Jinny Blom is remarkable in a number of ways. The garden designer’s book showcases the extraordinary gardens that she has created worldwide. Gorgeous, sumptuous gardens that have led her to be named ‘the most romantic, creative person in garden design’ by Piet Oudolf – himself a… Read More »Notes from a Head Gardener: a design bible of the moment that deserves to be shouted about ~ 20/11/2018
It takes a special garden to be a hit with the whole family. Father needs to see a variety of horticultural situations for inspiration to furnish a similar plot, his daughter (this gardener) would like to see innovative planting combinations and unusual plant forms, and his granddaughters require brilliant colour… Read More »Notes from a Head Gardener ~ Hunting Brook Gardens (a surprise multi-generational crowd pleaser)
Factual gardening books are not my usual choice for bedtime reading. Bedtime is normally reserved for escapism, intrigue and a leap into a different life for half an hour or so before (hopefully) a gentle drift towards my sweetest dreams. Yet the moment I picked up Dan Pearson’s Natural Selection:… Read More »Notes from a Head Gardener ~ A book Review of Dan Pearson’s Natural Selection: A Year in the Garden
Article published in The Wiltshire Gardens Trust Journal For the next three years I will be juggling my work as a freelance horticulturalist with a busy family life whilst studying for The Royal Horticultural Society Master of Horticulture course. When I tell people that I am studying towards the MHort… Read More »
Rose pruning. Of all the garden tasks this is one of the most satisfying. I enjoy a puzzle. To take a jumble of stems and train them into a pleasing and ultimately floriferous form is immensely rewarding. With every year that passes, my adoration of the rose multiplies. A thorny… Read More »Notes from a Head Gardener ~ Chapter 9 ~ Tying knots with gloves on
